Game apparatus



- A. w. GRANGER ET AL GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1922 V v I zl/ fwwa Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. GRANGER AND FRANK A. PFENNING, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed November 23, 1922.

This invention relates generally to toys, and more particularly to a mechanical game apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is to.

I provide a mechanical game having the characteristics of the out door base ball game, and which is provided with amovable batting device and a delivering device for projecting a ball in the direction of the batting device, these devices being connected together by suitable mechani m so as tooper ate simultaneously.

Another object of the invention is to generally improve upon devices of this class by the provision of a comparatively simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction, one which will be efiicient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application and in which similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention; 7

Fig. 2 is aview in vertical central longitudinal section of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the ball delivering device;

Fig. at is a similar view of the batting device;

Fig. 5 is a broken detail view in vertical section taken through a pair of associated apertures which correspond to a players position.

The apparatus consists of a board 1 which is laid out in any suitable manner to represent a base ball diamond. In the present case the various bases and positions of the players are indicated by apertures. to be hereinafter more fully described. The aperture 2 at the position corresponding to the home plate is enlarged at its upper end as at 3 to receive a suitable track member 4 for the ball bearing hub portion 5 of a batting device 6, the latter standing erect upon the board 1 and being preferably shaped so as to represent a ball player carrying a bat in readiness to use the same. The lower end Serial No. 602,760..

of the hub member 5 is reduced and pro jects through the reduced portion 2 of the aperture and below the board 1, and project ing laterally from one side of the reduced hub portion is an arm 7.

Mounted upon the board 1 and spaced slightly above the same in a position corresponding to the pitchers box is a cylinder 8, the lower side of which is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 9. This cylinder 8 is closed at one end as shown and points in the direction of the batting device. Disposed within the cylinder is a sliding plunger 10, the stem 11 thereof projecting through the closed end of the cylinder and being provided with a suitable knob or engaging device 12. The plunger is normally held in its torwardmost position by means of a coil spring 13 located between. the closed end of the cylinder and the rear end of the plunger.

The numeral 14. represents a lever which is tulcrumed intermediate of its ends to the lower side of the board 1. said lever passing through a slot- 15 in the board and the slot 9 in the cylinder and having its upper end connected pivotally as well as loosely with plunger 10. The lower end of the lever 14' is connected to a link 16 which in turn is connected to the arm 7 carried by the hub member of the batting device 6. This atfords a means for operating the batting device simultaneously with the operation of the plunger. An additional spring 17 is connected to the point of connection of the link 16 and lever 14 and the board 1 to assist the spring 13 in returning the plunger 10 to its forwardmost position and the batter to its batting position.

As hereinbefore explained the board 1 is laid out in the form of a base ball diamond by means of apertures. These apertures are arranged in pairs, one pair being disposed adjacent the position of each player on the diamond. One of the apertures of each pair is substantially circular in cross section represented by the numeral 18 and the other is shown as being rectangular represented by the numeral 19. Fulcrumed intermediate of its ends to the lower side of the board 1 and being between the apertures 18 and 19 is a lever 20 having one of its ends formed into a cup 21 which is disposed in the aperture 18 just below the upper surface of the board 1. The other end of the lever 20 is bent upwardly to form a vertically projecting lug 22 which extends into the aperture 19. If desired this lug may be shaped so as to represent a ball player.

In using the device a marble or some small article representing a ball is first placed in the mouth of the cylinder 8. The plunger 10 is then drawn back by pulling upon the handle 12 of its stem. By releasing the plunger it will fly forward under the action of the springs 13 and 17 and strike the ball 23. This will project the ball in the direction of the batting device and as the latter is operated simultaneously with the plunger it will be rotated so as to bring the batters bat into position to meet the ball. The ball will thus be knocked down the field and if it rolls into one of the apertures 18 it will fall upon the cup 21 and its weight will cause the lever 20 to be overbalanced, bringing the lug 22 into view and indicating where the ball was knocked. Inasmuch as there is certain loose motion in the batting device and in the mechanism connecting it with the plunger, the ball will not be struck by the bat always in the same position, and hence the ball will be knocked to different places in the diamond. From the foregoing description taken in connection with the ac companying drawings, the construction, use and operation of the device will be eadily understood without a more extended explanation.

As various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein shown and described.

WVe claim -l. In a game apparatus, a board, a hub member journaled therein for rotative movement, a batting device carried by said hub member, a ball delivering device-also mounted on said board and including a reciprocable, spring actuated plunger and loose connections intermediate said plunger and hub member whereby when the former is projected by its actuating spring the latter 1s revolved.

2. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a journal bearing opening therein, a hub member ournaled in said opening, a batting device carried by said hub member, a ball projecting device also mounted on said board, and including a reciprocable spring actuated plunger, and lost motion connections intermediate said plunger and hub memberivhereby when said plunger is projected said batting device is rotatively actuated, in more or less indiscriminate relation with respect to the projected ball.

3. In a game apparatus the combination of a board, a revoluble bat-ting device mounted upon said board and having a hubportion extending below the same, an arm eX- tending laterally from said. hub portion, a cylinder mount-ed above said board and having a longitudinal slot in the lower side thereof, said cylinder being spaced from said batting device and pointing in the direction of the same, a plunger slidable in said cyl inder, a lever fulcrumed upon said board and having one end projecting through said slot and connected to said plunger, the other end of said lever projecting below said board, a link connecting said other end of said lever and said arm, and resilient means for moving said plunger forward.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ARTHUR IVGRANGER. FRANK A. PFENNING. 

